Two Rivers’ Public Utilities Committee got a blunt look at spring shutoffs: 948 utility accounts are past due, with disconnections scheduled to start April 15. The committee also flagged a looming equipment decision after the sewer camera failed again, with repair or replacement costs now in the $8,000–$24,000 range.
No public comments or communications recorded for this meeting.
Staff reported bids were opened March 26 and the low responsive bid came in $217,865 below the engineer’s estimate. The committee itself didn’t award anything here; staff said they will recommend the City Council award the contract to Vinton Construction. Residents should watch the Council agenda for the actual approval and the final project scope tied to that price.
The city’s sewer inspection camera failed again shortly after a $2,000 repair, and the new estimate is about $8,000—on equipment that already lacks basic features like distance measurement on video. Staff are also looking at a more capable crawler camera system quoted around $24,000, but it’s from an unfamiliar vendor and there’s no clear funding source yet. This is the kind of unplanned cost that can quietly snowball if the city keeps patching old gear instead of budgeting for replacement cycles.
Staff said flow readings may be artificially high because of a suspected partial blockage feeding a primary clarifier. Crews will try a larger jet nozzle, and if that fails they may need to drain the clarifier to clean under no-flow conditions. That matters because bad readings can distort how the plant is managed and reported, and draining/cleaning can be disruptive and labor-intensive.
Staff reported 948 utility accounts are past due, from under $100 to several thousand dollars. They plan to issue 24-hour disconnect notices on April 14, disconnect power on April 15 for accounts still unpaid, then repeat the notice/disconnect cycle April 15–16 for additional delinquent accounts. This is a high-stakes operational move with immediate consequences, and the minutes don’t mention any parallel plan for outreach, payment plans, or hardship coordination—details residents typically care about when shutoffs resume.
The committee discussed social media complaints about the city’s garbage and recycling program, including questions about methods and costs. Staff said it was unclear whether the contractor had written or verbal authorization to start work before the contracted start time, but also said the contract is believed to be in good standing. The committee was encouraged to draft questions to ask the public about future collection preferences—suggesting the city may be feeling pressure to revisit how service is set up.
Staff shared a WDNR email noting new state law (2025 Wisconsin Act 201) creating grant programs to help communities address PFAS contamination in drinking water, wastewater, landfills, and certain sites. Staff said they will evaluate whether the city could use this for costs like sludge sampling/testing and disposal, and possibly source-control work. This is early-stage, but it’s a potential funding path residents should track because PFAS-related testing and disposal can get expensive fast.